Fourmile Fire: Airtanker Base Operations

Retardant loading crew member Steve Wood US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport pit moves the filler hose away from a P-2V airtanker after filling the aircraft with fire retardant to fight the Four Mile Canyon Fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Retardant loading crew member Will Leininger, US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport, moves the filler hose away from an airtanker after filling the aircraft with fire retardant as another airtanker waits to be loaded to fight the Four Mile Canyon Fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Will Leininger, left, and Steve Wood, retardant loading crew, move a hose away from an airtanker at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport as a P-3 airtanker lands behind them while fighting the Four Mile fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Patty Owens and her daughter MeridithKay, 5, of Arvada, look at airtankers at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport after bringing doughnuts, on MeridithKay's birthday, for the crews at the base before the planes started fighting the Four Mile fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Pilot Bob Webb removes the chalks for the wheel of his P-2 airtanker at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport while preparing to fight the Four Mile fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

An airtanker lands while another taxies to the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport to be filled with fire retardant to fight the Four Mile fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Parking tender Mark VonAllman directs an airtanker as another taxies into the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport while fighting the Four Mile Fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Retardant loader Matt Nykanen watches for the signal to disconnect the retardant loading hose from an airtanker at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport while air crews fight the Four Mile fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.

Retardant loading crew members Steve Wood and Will Leininger at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport move the filler hose away from a P-3 airtanker after filling the aircraft with fire retardant to fight the Four Mile Canyon Fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.
September 7, 2010
staff photo/David R. Jennings

Michael Huston, crew chief for P-3 number 21, plays the guitar at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport while waiting for the inversion over the Four Mile Canyon Fire to lift on Tuesday.
September 7, 2010
staff photo/David R. Jennings

Co-pilot Gary Thomas skate boards to his P-3 airtanker at the US Forest Service Airtanker base at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport while waiting to fight the Four Mile Canyon Fire in Boulder County on Tuesday.
September 7, 2010
staff photo/David R. Jennings